Acceleration controller



Dec. 20, 1938. E. E. HEWITT ACCELERATION CONTROLLER Filed Marpn 2s, 1934 Patented Dec. 20, V1938 UNITED STATES 2,140,641 e ACCELERATION CONTROLLER Ellis E. Hewitt, Edgewood,A Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 28,

12 Claims.

My invention relates to accelerating control systems for railway vehicles, or vehicles driven by electric motors, and particularly to means for limiting lthe maximum permissible acceleration independently of the vehicle loading.

, Modern systems of control for electrically driven motor cars and trains provide a master controller by means of which the motorman can apply varying amounts of power to the motors by simply moving the handle of the master controller to selected positions. The master controller does not directly handle the current ilowing to the electric motors, but is so arranged as to cause the operation of a main motor controller in the motor circuit which operates to automatically increase the supply of current to the motors at a iixed rate of speed until it reaches the desired position, corresponding to that of the master controller. The xed rate at which the main motor controller automatically cuts out the motor resistance is determined as the fixed rate at which the main controller can be manipulated without exceeding a main motor current value that will causethe wheels to slip on the track. The main motor torque will be substantially` proportional to the current flowing through the motor, independently oil the voltage applied thereto, and consequently control systems of the genez'ai type described above are usually provided with a current limit relay device which is ar ranged to interrupt or arrest the operation o' the main controller whenever the current to the motor exceeds a certain predetermined value. The current limiting device is also arranged in such manner that, when the main motor current falls below the safe value, the automatic controller will proceed to advance, increasing the motor current to a value corresponding to that determined by the position of the master conf troller.

When a current limiting relay device is err-n ployed in connection. with the modern control system described above, it is necessary to so arijust the current limit relay that it will operate if, on a current value which will, be slightly less than the current required to spin the car wheels on the rails when the car is empty. If the car is loaded, a much higher current setting could he employed without danger of spinning the wheels and, consequently, it is desirable that provision should ce made for manually adjusting such a current limiting device.

When a current limit relay is employed to determine the maximum current value, and consequently the maximum torque, of the motor, it

1934, serial No. 711,758

(ci. 17g- 179) operates to open a circuit and thus to interrupt the notching operation of the main or automatic controller momentarily until the motor current again decreases sufliciently to allow the current limit device to reconnect the interrupted circuit causing further operation of Vthe controller.

It Vis an object of my invention to provide means forv limiting the acceleration of the driving motors of a railway vehicle to prevent slipping of the driving wheels upon the rails, and thus accomplish the same results as may be'accomplished by the use of a current limit relay without employing the complicated mechanism necessarily associated therewith.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such means that is actuated by an inertia responsive mechanism in response to the rate of change of the speed of the vehicle. l

Further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment thereof wherein,

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing appa-l ratus and circuits illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail of the manually adjusting means for the inertia device.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. l thereof, two main driving motors l and 2 are provided for driving the vehicle, and are controlled in accordance with the operation of a nctching'controller 3, which controls the supply of power to the motors from. the overhead supply conductor il. The notching controller 3 is controlled by a master controller li operated by the motorman, which causes energization of the motor 6 to drive the notcliing controller 3 through the gear and clutch mechanism 1.. An inertia device 9 is provided for slowing down or interrupting the effective operation of the motor 6 in a manner to be later described. A gear engaging mechanism 8 is provided to cause the worm lll to engage the controller gear wheel 29 for operating it in a manner to be later described.

Upon operation of the master controller 5 to any oi its operative positions, e. circuit is completed from ground l2, through the battery il, through conducting member il of the master oontroller., segment it, winding i5 of the line oontactor i5 and to ground, to connect thev overhead conductor t to the controller 3. A circuit will also be completed from one of the contact members il, I8 or is of the master controller li to a jumper 2l, 22, or 23 respectively, on the controller 3. Electric conducting segments 24 and 25 are provided on the disc 26 of the controller, and are connected to be rotated upon operation of a gear wheel 29, by the shaft 21 to which both the gear wheel 29 and the disc 26 are fastened by the key 28. The jumpers 2l, 22 and 23, which are stationary, are provided wtih brushes 3l, 32 and 33, respectively, for engaging the conducting seg'- ment 24 and with brushes 34, 35 and 35, respectively, for engaging the conducting segment 25.

Upon connection of the conducting segments 24 and 25 to the battery il through the master controller 5, circuits are completed, respectively, to cause operation of the motor 5, and through conductor 31 and winding 3B of the gear engaging mechanism 8 for causing the worm i0 to be brought into operating engagement with the gear wheel 29. The gear engaging mechanism 8 comprises the winding 38, which actuates an armature against the lbias of a spring 4i, forcing the armature in an upward direction, and correspondingly operating the 42 which carries the end of a shaft 'i3-'upon which the worm i8 is mounted.

The shaft i3 is conne ted to a universal joint 44 and is driven by a shaft 45, which enters the casing 45 and connects to e. bevel gear 41' that engages a similar bevel gear 48 driven by the motor S. The gear 41 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 45, held in the bearing t9, and is pro vided with a clutching plate 5S, formed integrally therewith, that is adapted to he engaged by a clutch plate 5i carried by the shaft 45. The clutch plate 5i is keyed to rotate with the shaft 45, but is axially movable along the shaft, and is maintained in frictional engagement against the plate 55 by means of a spring 54 that is biased between the plug 55 in the outer wall of the cap nut 50 and an armature member 52 which normally acts through the ball bearing 53 to force the plate 5l toward the left into engagement with the clutch plate 56. The cap nut 58 is formed of magnetic material and acts as an armature jointly with the member 52. A winding 51 is provided which, when energized, magnetizes the armature members and 52, causing the movable member 52 to be actuated toward the right, thus releasing the pressure between the clutch plates 5i and 56 and permitting the shafts 45 and 433 to he stationary.

Upon operation of the master controller to cause engagement of the contact members 83 and il", a circuit is completed through the brush 34, conducting segment 25, conductor 31 and coil 38, thus causing operation of the gear engaging mechanism 8 to effect engagement of the worm l0 with the gear 29. Simultaneously, upon completion of the above circuit, the motor 6 is energized by a circuit through conductor H3, the brush 3l, segment 24, and conductor H4, and the controller 3, comprising the gear 29 and conducting segments 24 and 25, is operated in a clockwise direction until the brush 3i reaches the jog 88 in the segment 24 at which point it passes from the segment and interrupts the motor circuit. The segment 25 is also provided with a similar jog 59 which is, however, beyond the position of the jog 80 so that the device 8 is maintained energized, thus causing the worm I9 to maintain engagement with the gear 29 and hold the controller in its arrested position due to the friction between these two members.

If the motor circuit is completed through the brush 32, it will cause the controller 3 to operate in a clockwise direction until the brush 32 reaches the jog 58 in the segment 24 and passes from the segment at that point, thus interrupting the motor circuit and stopping the controller. The segment 25 is provided with a jog 6|, slightly beyond the jog 58, so that the circuit through the brush 35 for energizing the coil 38 of the gear mechanism will be maintained after the motor 6 stops, thus holding the worm I8 in engagement with the gear 28 with suiiicient frictional effect to prevent return of the controller to its original position. If the motor circuit is energized through the brush 33 the controller will operate through nearly a complete circle, or until the brush 33 reaches the end of the segment 24. The engaging mechaninn 3 will remain energized throughout this entire operation and hold the controller in its arrested position. Upon deenergizatlon of the winding 38 of the gear engaging mechanism 8 in any position, the spring 4l will operate to force the worm l0 from engagement with the gear 29, and the controller 3 will be actuated by a spring 10 and cable 62, about the drum 63, shown in Fig. 2, and returned to its initial or illustrated position.

A spring-pressed linger 20 is provided within the casing 46, mounted on a pin 30 and biased by a spring 48 into engagement with teeth provided on a disc |00 that is attached to the shaft 45 to prevent reverse movement of the shaft 45 upon disengagement of the clutch plates 56 and 5|.

The controller 3 is provided with resistor elements and 68 for controlling the speed of the main motors i and 2. Cooperating pairs of contact members 61 are provided along various points of the resistor 65 connecting them with a conductor 66 that leads t0 the motor. Similar pairs of cooperating contact members 12 are provided for shunting successive portions of the resistor 68 from the motor circuit through a conductor'13. The cooperating pairs of Contact members 51 and 12 are controlled by a roller 69, carried by an arm 1i, that is moved in accordance with the movement of the gear 29. A two position electromagnetic contacter 14 is provided, having a'winding 15 and three contact members 16, 11 and 18,

illustrated in their lower or deenergized position,

for connecting the motors l and 2 in series circuit, or parallel circuit, relation.

A contacter 8| is provided for' controlling the speed or motor 6, and comprises an electromagnet 82 and a contact member 83 which, in its dcenergized or illustrated position, closes a circuit in shunt relation to the resistor 64 in the motor circuit. The contactor or relay 8| is controlled by the inertia responsive device 9 which comprises a pendulum mounted within a casing 85, the pendulum swinging in accordance with the accelex-ation of the moving vehicle containing it. A pendulum restraining mechanism is provided in one side of the casing and comprises a nipple 86, screw-threadedly attached within an opening in the casing and provided at its lower end portion with a recess forming an abutment. A sleeve 81 :Ihe sleeve 81 is formed having a. larger internal diameter at its upper end than at its lower end, thus providing a shoulder midway of its l" lustrated positior length. It is screw-threaded at its upper end to receive a cap nut 99. A pressure member' 92 is provided extending outwardly from the lower end of the sleeve 91. and having outwardly extending flanges 93 for engaging the shoulder midway of the sleeve 81. A screw plug 99 is provided for adjusting the bias of a spring member 94, and forces the pressure member 92 outwardly. In order to provide for readily adjusting the tension of the spring 94 a shaft 99 is provided that connects the plug 95 to an indicating lever and handle 91, located at any convenient place. The pendulum 90 is provided with a contact member 99, carried thereby, which is adapted to engage the contact members |9| and |92 upon different predetermined accelerations of the vehicle carrying the pendulum.

if the motorman moves the master controller 5 to its first operative position a circuit will be closed from the battery II through conducting portion I3, segment I4, and winding I5 of the line contacter I9, thus closing` the contactar I6 and completing a circuit from the line conductor 4 through conductor |04, contacter I9, conductor |95, resistor 65, conductor |09, to the contact member 11 of the relay 14 in its lower position, through the field winding |91 and amature winding |08 of the motor I, through the contact member 18 in its lower position and through windings |69 and IiI of the motor 2 to the ground connection II2, thus causing the motors I and 2 to start rotating at a slow rate of speed.

In this position of the master controller the contact member |93 engages the contact member i1 thus completing a circuit from the battery Ii through conductor |I3, brush 3| on segment 24, through conductor I|4, contact member t3 of the relay 8|, and motor I5 causing the motor to operate. A circuit is also completed from the jumper 2|, through the .brush 94, segment 25, conductor 31, and coil 39 of the gear engaging mechanism 9, thus causing the Worm I0 to be brought into' engagement with the gear wheel 29 and operate the controller 3 bythe motor B in a clockwise direction until the brush 3i reaches the jog 6i? at which point the motor circuit will be interrupted, and the controller 3 brought to rest. While the controller 3 is being operated in a clockwise direction, the roller 69 advances and closes successive pairs of cooperating contact members $1 to out out blocks of the resistor e5 from the motor circuit, thus increasing the speed of the motor.

if the motorman moves the handle of the master controller E to its second operating position, causing engagement of the contact members its and iti, the controller 3 will continue to .operate in a clockwise direction until the brush in the jumper reaches the jog 53 in the segment 20. at which time it will interrupt the motor circuit. At this point in the operation of the controller the gear 29 and the conducting segments and together with the roller ttl, will have operated iil degrees from their il thus cutting out the entire reu sister from tn eter circuit.

Should. the motcmian now advance the master controller to its third operating position. causing engagement of the Contact members iiii and the motor will be energized through the brush segment Zit, 'wiil operate throughout the remainder of its operative range,

thus causing the roller te to advance to a position wherein it wili cause successive engagement ci the cooperating pairs of contact members 12.

associated with the resistor 99. As the roller 99 engages the first or lower pair o! cooperating contact members associated with the resistor 99, a circuit is closed through the resistor 99, conductors IIS, II 1. resistor I I9 and winding 16 oi! the-relay 14 to groundfat II9. thus causing the relay 14 to operate the several contact members 16, 11 and 19 to their upper or energized position.

A circuit is now closed from the conductorl |95 through theresistor 99, and by conductors H5 and II9, contact member 16 of the relay 14, field winding lili-and amature 'winding I|| of the motor 2 to ground at H2. A circuit to the motor I is completed from the conductor IIB,

'through conductor IIB, contact members 19 and 11 of the relay 14 in their upper positions, eld

winding |91, armature winding m9, and contact member 19 in its upper position, to ground at I2I. In this position of the master controller, the motor 6 will continue to operate, closing successive pairs of cooperating contact members 12, to cut out an increasing number of blocks of the resistance 98 until the entire resistor is cut out of the motor circuit, thus bringing the motors to full speed.

The movable contact member im on the master controller 5 is so designed as to bridge the distance between two adjacent contact members of the group i1, i8 and i8, so that, as the master controller is advanced from one to another of its operative positions, the circuit controlling the next higher step in the operation of the notching controller 3 will be completed before the circuit controlling the previous step is interrupted. This maintains the circuit to the gear engaging mechanisrn 8 completed for all positions of the master controller except its power on or inactive position, and prevents return of the notching controller 3 to its initial position until return of the master controller to. its inactive position.

If, at any position during 'the acceleration of the motor, the motorman moves the master controller 5 to its illustrated or inactive position, the gear mechanism d will be deenergizeci and the spring M will force the rod yt2 downwardly bringing the worm it out of engagement with the gear wheel 29, thus vreleasing the frictional engagement therebetween and permitting 'the spring 10 to force the shaft 21 of the controller 3 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction to its illustrated or initial position.

Upon placing the .master controller ii in any of its operative positions the motor (i will advance the controller 2i, closing successive pairs of cooperating Contact members iii' or "i2 at a definite rate of speed. Should this speed become greater than that corresponding to a predetermined acceleration oi the vehicle 'ier which the inertia device Q has been set, a circuit wili be closed extending from the conductor iid, through the conductor iti?, the movable Contact member e9 carried by the pendulum dii, through Contact member itil, conductor resistor ii, winding ci the relay di to ground at i25, thus causing the relay to operate its contact member to its upper position introduce the ster in the circuit oi' the 'motor thus down rate oi; operation of the motor, Shown the vehicle reach still greater eccetera- 'i the penduliun will swing further to the at |21, thus energizing the magnetic core members I0 and 52 of the clutch mechanism 1, causing the member 52 to be actuated toward the right against the bias of the spring Il and release the driving connection between the clutch plates 5| and Bl, thus interrupting the operating connections'between the motor driving gears 48 and 41, and the shaft Il, and permitting the worm- I0 to remain inactive until the pendulum I0 swings to move the contact member 98 out of engagement with the contact member |02.

A pendulum restraining mechanism indicated generally at i3!! is also provided on the front side of casing 8E for restraining the pendulum I0, and contact 4members in and |28 are provided in front of the movable contact member 9! carried by the pendulum, which contact members may be employed to control circuits effecting the rate of deceleration of the vehicle during braking operation, or may control circuits similar to those through contact members HH and N2, and conductors ill and |26, for controlling the acceleration of the vehicle when operated in the opposite direction.

The illustration and description of one embodiment of my invention is to be taken as illustrative only, and not in a limiting sense, since many changes in the circuits and apparatus disclosed will occur to those skilled in the art within the spirit of my invention and I do not wish to be limited otherwise than by the scope of theV `ap v Patent, is:

1. In a motor control system for vehicles, in

combination, an electric motor for driving the vehicle, a source of energy for said motor, means for connecting said motor to said source of energy, means for automatically controlling the power supplied to said motor during acceleration thereof, means responsive to a predetermined rate of acceleration of the vehicle for retarding the rate of operation of said controlling means, and means responsive to a higher rate of'acceleration of the vehicle for interrupting said power controlling means.

2. A motor starting-system for vehicles comprising an electric vehicle driving motor, a source of energy for said motor. means'for connecting said motor to said source of energy, means for automatically controlling the power supplied to said motor during acceleration thereof, means responsive toa predetermined rate of acceleration of the vehicle for retarding the rate of operation of said controlling means, means responsive to a higher rate of acceleration of the vehicle for interrupting said power controlling means, and means for adjusting said predetermined rates of acceleration.

3. In a motor control system for vehicles, the combination with a driving motor, means for connecting said motor to a source of electric energy, automatic control means for progressively increasing the voltage applied thereto to control the acceleration thereof, of means including a free swinging pendulum for controlling the rate of acceleration thereof, and means responsive to a higher predetermined rate of acceleration for temporarily arresting the progressive operation oi said automatic control means.

4. In a motor control system for vehicles, the combination with a driving motor, means for connecting said motor to a source of electric energy, automatic control means for progressively increasing the voltage applied 'thereto to control the acceleration thereof, ofmeans including a Iof energy for said motor,'means for connecting said motor to said source of energy. means operative upon connection of saidv motor to said source for progressively increasing the powersupplied to said motor for acceleration thereof, means responsive to a predetermined rate of acceleration of saidyehicle for decreasing the rate of increased power supply to said motor, and means responsive to a higher predetermined rate of acceleration of said vehicle for arresting the increase of power supply to said motor.

6. In combination, a vehicle, an electric motor for driving the vehicle, a source of electric energy therefor, means for connecting said motor to said source of energy, electroresponsive means operative upon connection of said motor to said source of energy for gradually increasing the power supplied to said motor, means responsive to a predetermined rate of acceleration of said vehicle for decreasing the rate of operation of said electroresponsive means, and means responsive to a higher predetermined rate of acceleration oi said vehicle for interrupting the operative effect of said electroresponsive means.

1. In combination, a vehicle, an electric motor for driving said vehicle, a source of electric energy therefor, means for A connecting said motor to said source of energy, an acceleration controller. an electroresponsive means, a clutch mechanism for operatively connecting said acceleration controller to said electroresponsive means for actuating said ,acceleration controller upon connection of said motor to said source of energy to gradually increase the power supplied to said motor, means responsive to a predetermined rate of 'acceleration of the vehicle f or decreasing the rate of operation of said electroresponsive means. and means responsive to a higher rate of acceleration `oi! the vehicle for operating said clutch mechanism to interrupt the operation of said acceleration controller.

8. A` motor starting system for vehicles comprising an electric vehicle driving motor, a source of energy for said motor, means for connecting said motor to said source of energy, means for automatically controlling the power supplied to said motor during acceleration thereof, electroresponsive means for decreasing the rate of operation of said automatically controlled means, electroresponsive means for interrupting the operation of said automatic control means, and means responsive tothe rate of acceleration of the vehicle for eilecting the energization of said electroresponsive means at diilerent predetermined rates of acceleration of the vehicle.

9. A motor starting system for vehicles comprising an electric vehicle driving motor, a source of energy for said motor, means for connecting said motor to said source of energy, means for automatically controlling the power supplied to said motor during acceleration thereof, electroresponsive means for decreasing the rate of operation of said automatic control means, electroresponsive means for interrupting the operation of said automatic control means, an inertia device responsive to the rate of acceleration oi the vehicle for effecting the energization of said electroresponsive means at different predetermined rates of acceleration of the vehicle, biasing means for opposing the operation of said inertia device, and means adjustable manually for changing the setting of said biasing means.

10. In a motor control system for vehicles, the combination with a driving motor, means for connecting said motor to a source of electric energy, automatically controlled electroresponsive means operative upon connection of said motor to said source of energy for progressively increasing the power supplied to said motor, and means including a free swinging pendulum for limiting the rate of operation of said automatic control means upon a predetermined acceleration of said vehicle and for interrupting the operation thereof upon a predetermined further acceleration of said vehicle.

11. In a vehicle control apparatus, in combination, a driving motor, means for controlling acceleration of the driving motor, an electrore sponsive device responsive to variations in the supply of current thereto for controlling said means, resistance means, a relay operable to control the inclusion and exclusion of said resistance means in circuit with said electroresponsive device to control the current supplied thereto, contacts for controlling the energization of said relay, and an inertia operated device for operating said contacts.` N

12. In a vehicle motor control system, in combination, a rotary element for driving an accelerator to control acceleration of the vehicle, a device having two relatively stationary contacts and a movable contact adapted to engage a first of said stationary contacts at one rate of acceleration ci the vehicle and to engage the other or second of said stationary contacts at a higher rate of acceleration of the vehicle, a first electroresponsive means operated upon engagement of said movable contact with said iirst stationary contact for varying the speed of rotation of said rotary element, and a second and independent electroresponsive means operated upon engagement of said movable contact with said second stationary contact for again varying the speed of rotation of said rotary element.

'EILIS E. HEWI'IT. 

